Octavia Spencer: "I Wanted to Be Part of a Social Impact"

Octavia Spencer: "I Wanted to Be Part of a Social Impact"

The Oscar winner on her role in Fruitvale Station.

Published June 27, 2013

Octavia Spencer achieved what few actresses could hope to when she won an Oscar for her role in The Help, but last year's breakout star isn't ready to rest. Spencer took on one of her most intense parts to date to play Oscar Grant's mother in Fruitvale Station.

Spencer delivers a moving, stoic performance in a story that she says is "sadly, still relevant," and explains that she was drawn to the low-budget indie because she wanted to "be a part of something."

Watch Octavia talk about working with Ryan Coogler and what she hopes audiences will take from this film in our exclusive video below. Fruitvale Station, produced by Weinstein Company in association with BET Films, opens in select theaters on July 12.